Directed By… Sidney J. Furie (1970 – 197 — Directed By… Sidney J. Furie (1970 – 1978)- Boxset

From Imprint here we have a five-film set celebrating the 1970’s work of Canadian-born journeyman director Sidney J. Furie. He's a genre versatile, highly skilled, and generally very talented filmmaker- who until now has not been given the praise & due he very much deserves. The five-disc Blu-ray set features HD scans for each film, as well as an impressive selection of new & in-depth extras.  

The set is presented in a hardback box- this takes in an eye-catching black, orange, and blue colour scheme- taking in a collage of images from the films in the set,  and a quote from none other than Micheal Cain. Each film comes presented in its own Blu-Ray case- these feature double-side covers- on the front film poster artwork/ specs, and on the reverse a single still from the film. With the set finished off with a glossy sixty-page inlay booklet- featuring coloured stills, and new write-ups about the film/ director. Really a very classy/lovely-looking set.

 

First, in the set, we have The Lawyer- this appeared in the year 1970 and is a mix of small-town mystery & courtroom drama- with subtle touches of humour/ levity that only a 1970s film can have. It was the fourteen feature-length film Furie had made, and it regards a  young often-flying- by-the-seat-his pants Lawyer defending a murder case in a small cattle town.

As the credits roll by and the film's main horn touched, bright, and buoyant soundtrack cue plays we meet our lead lawyer Tony Petrocelli (Barry Newman). He is just rushing out of his office to try and argue with the traffic cops as they are putting a ticket on his small RV- with little or no luck. We find out he’s recently moved to the small Colorado cattle town of Baker to try & make his name- but unfortunately he’s defending two-bit cases, like drunks causing trouble.

He gets a tip-off that a new big case is coming up- heads off in his RV down small & dusty backroads to the swish medical practice of Jack(Robert Colbert) and Paul( William Sylvester) Harrison. Paul leads Tony to his brother who is in a hospital bed with a neck brace on- he claims he was set about in his own house by a figure, and when he awoke his wife had been bludgeoned to death in their bed. There is seemingly no sign of a break-in, and a few things at the scene seem to suggest Jack did it- though he has no blood on him. Tony agrees to take the case- but it’s clear from the off that many locals, including the local police believe it’s a straightforward case- and Tony is guilty, this is impacted early on when we find out Paul was having an affair- making it seemingly certain he killed his wife.

As the just under-two-hour film unfolds- we get a blend of courtroom footage, flashbacks, and Tony's interactions between witnesses and the crime scene. Prosecuting the case is  Harold Gould( Eric P. Scott)- he’s Tony’s older brother and is a very sure of himself character- with thinning hair, droopy greying moustache  & a penchant for eating mints.

Furie's skill & use of the camera is present throughout. In the courtroom, he utilises interesting angled /perspective shots, as well as POV. When we're out and about at the crime scene, in town, or in the countryside again he tries to be creative with his shot pickups. And certainly on the courtroom side of things- I’d say this is easily the most visually creative/ interesting film I’ve seen within the genre.

Acting wise Newman is excellent as the focused, at times light quirky lead lawyer. Colbert is a good pick as the playboy Doctor, and really throughout you are pulled between being sure he’s guilty, and sure he isn’t. Scott’s take on Tony is rather know-it-all/ been around the block is excellent- with a good supply of supporting acting talent too.

All in all The Lawyer is a most entertaining  & engaging film- you get really pulled into the murder mystery elements, as well as enjoying the courtroom drama interaction & how they are presented. 

Extras wise on this first disc we get a commentary by film historian/filmmaker Daniel Kremer and film director Paul Lynch, with archival excerpts from director Sidney J. Furie. They begin by talking about how the director is a very private man/ not in the least bit boastful. They talk about how lead actor Newman was a Michael Cain-like find, and how the whole film is very much driven by the actor's energy. They discuss where this film comes in the director's career- after he had worked with big stars like Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra. We get brief talk about how the films character went on to get his own TV  show. We get discussion about how Lynch rather pestered the director with multiple phone calls- with in the end the pair becoming great friends. There’s talk about how the film developed through production- we get snippets of an interview with Furie regarding the film & how he wrote the film's script/ screenplay. Later on they about how the director told a story within framing- with an eye for background detail. The overarching themes in the director's filmography, general chat about the director's work, and more. This track is a very chatty/ darting affair- it’s certainly worth a play- I just wish it focused a little bit on the film to hand.

Otherwise, we get the following- Newman’s Law (21.34) onscreen interview with Barry Newman. Lawyers’ Wives and Lost Loves ( 10.57) two archive interviews with actress Diana Muldaur- one audio, and one filmed. Clear Lines of Sight: Sidney J. Furie at Paramount( 39.38) video essay by Daniel Kremer. Angles of Elevation– film director Joe Dante’s Appreciation of Sidney J. Furie (14.13)

 

 

Film number two in the set is Little Fauss and Big Halsy. This is from the year 1970, and it’s a drama/ buddy/ road movie set in the world of dirt bike racing. It features two great lead performers from Robert Redford as cocky, womanizing & always on-the-con rider Halsy Knox. And Micheal J. Pollard as the awkward, timid, and unsure of himself mechanic Little Fussy.

The film opens at a small dirt bike set desert race. We see Little (Pollard) riding in the race- he then falls off his bike, just as he’s doing well. He’s there with his pudgy & very hen-pecking mother (Lucille Benson), and his just-so/ good judge of character father Seally( Noah Beery Jr). Also at the race- though not participating is Halsy(Redford) who is strutting about shirtless in a cowboy hat- gathering interest from a photographer who notices the long scar down his back. The race comes to end, Little and his folks load up his bike on the back of their truck.   Halsy comes over asking for a push- Seally is none too keen to help the chancing show off, but Little seems to waver a little- though he still jumps on the back of the truck riding off leaving Halsy ranting in the dust.

Fairly soon Halsy has made his way to the Fussy family garage- with just Little working on a bike outside. Slowly but surely he edges his way into Littles life- taking him out for a drink, chasing sheep, and getting shot at.

The pair go racing together- though during the race Halsy knocks Little off- before riding over his leg & breaking it. He promises he’ll be back soon to help him- but instead goes to drink & flirt with a woman- going back to pick up Little halfway through the night. As Little can't ride Halsy proposer, he’ll ride under his name- promising the pair will make a good living from his plan. Little agrees- and the two set off on their travels.  With Hasly hooking up/ before dumping women and looking for the con angle in every situation. It seems to be going relatively well for the pair, well mainly for Hasly- but things start to change when running-though-the-desert woman Rita (Lauren Hutton) turns up.

The film features a nicely bounding & upbeat Country music soundtrack- which is mainly performed by Johnny Cash. With largely set in the dusty & vast landscapes of Nevada & California- with some wonderful panning and a few impressive crane shots. As well of course some rather manic & busy dirt bike racing footage- though this never gets too overwhelming- so you certainly don’t need to be a fan of motorbikes or dirty bike riding to enjoy the film.

Both Redford & Pollard are perfectly picked for their roles- with playful banter between the two, and some more dramatic moments too. The supporting cast is also well-picked. The film runs for just about right at the one hour and thirty-eight minutes. All in all Little Fauss and Big Halsy is an entertaining & engaging ride.

Extra wise we have commentary by film historian/filmmaker Daniel Kremer and director Sidney J. Furie. The director opens the track- by declaring he hasn’t watched the film for forty years. They discuss how the script was very much in place from the start- and he was very much just directing the set script- as the writer Charles Eastman had wanted to direct the film himself, and when he didn’t get the job- he wanted no more to do with the project.  They talk about the use of multiple cameras/ shots in some scenes of the film- giving the whole thing a very real feel. We find out that Redford wasn’t keen on the film, as it didn’t do well in the box office. We get a little insight into working with Redford- who turned up on time, did all was asked on him, etc- though he was annoyed when he was asked in for a meeting with co-star Pollard- as he felt he was below him. Later on, they discuss some of the locations and the film's use of 2 to 1 composition. What drew the director to the script, and certainly scene set-ups. This is a really interesting track- and considering Furie hadn’t seen the film in so many years- he's full of details

Otherwise, on the extras side, we get the following- That Old Oklahoma Know-How Part 1 (13.36) – interview with producer Gray Frederickson. Godfathers and Grand Marshals (47.38) an audio interview with producer Albert S. Ruddy. Panning the Furious Scans (13.35). A Visual Archaeology of the Man Who Wouldn’t Be Cropped. The World Starring Halsy Knox: Sidney J. Furie – The Actor’s Director (19.02) video essay by filmmaker/critic David Cairns. Trailers from Hell (2.39) with screenwriter Larry Karaszewski. Director’s Guild of Canada Lifetime Achievement Award (26.38) 1995 speech by Sidney J. Furie

 

 

The third film in the set is Hit! from 1973. This is a revenge film, which blends together elements of drama & action genres. It regards an African American Federal Agent whose daughter dies from a heroin overdose, so he decides to take out vengeance on the top levels of the drug dealing trade- bringing together a team to help him.

The film comes in at the two-hour & fourteen-minute mark- with often jarring introductions to characters, and erratic timeline jumps throughout. At times it almost moves towards arthouse- with staying too long shots, shifting at times loose camera work, and a feeling of improvised performance/ dialogue.

It opens rapidly shifting back & forth between two locations. There’s Marseille- where we go from seeing yacht-bound rich folk picking up heroin score at sea, bringing it inland, and then smuggling it into the US via bicycle frames. Then there’s a rather murky looking, at times raining, and snowing US city which could be either Seattle or Chicago- we see an African American man scoring for himself & his girlfriend- she OD’s large off-screen. Then we see a suited African American moustached man going to the funeral- who later gets in the car with the drug dealer from early-on-nearly killing him.

We find out the suited & moustached man is Federal agent Nick Allen(Billy Dee Willams), and the woman who died from OD-ing was his daughter. He meets up with his superior in a hotel room- and is told to forget about his daughter & revenge. He’s dead set he won’t, and from here he pulls together a rather ragtag team of people to take out the nine people at the top of the drug dealing pyramid in France.

The film is clearly influenced by/came about due to 1971’s The French Connection- as we shift back & forth between the US & France throughout the film, with longer dwells back in the US & agent Allen gathering of his team. And the ‘team’ takes in Dutch Schiller (Warren J. Kemmerling) a jaded close to retirement drug agent,  Sherry(Gwen Welles) a female sex worker with a drug problem, former military snipper Barry Strong(Paul Hampton), ex-former Navy sailor Mike Wilmer(Richard Pryor) whose wife was killed by a junky, and sixty something Jewish couple Ida(Janet Brandt) & Herman(Sid Melton) who lost their son to drugs.

The first hour or so of the film revolves around Allen gathering his team, and smug/ rich French folk going about their lives- including of course their drug dealing. Then the team head off to a snow-bound island to train. And the last quarter or so finds the team touching down in France- to carry out their hits.  All the while Agent Allen is been followed by two trenchcoated government goons- who are trying to stop his revenge mission.

I’m afraid to say Hit! was rather a slog to get through, and ultimately it wasn’t for me. First off our lead Billy Dee Willams is rather mean, moody, and often mumbling in his performances- really not selling his role or need for vengeance- aside from a few sudden rages. The supporting cast/ team- is largely very slightly drawn/ often awkward- a prime example of the latter is Pryor who again doesn't sell his role, and often slips into doing dirty jokes in a rather off-tone manner. The only vaguely likeable interesting members of the team are the ageing Jewish couple Ida & Herman- though we never find out exactly why they were chosen/ what their shady past is.

I can certainly admire Furie’s attempt to try & do something a little different/ slightly arty with the revenge genre- but I just found it a chore to get through. A pity, as I did really try with this but it just didn’t work for me.

On the extras side here we get a commentary track from film historian/filmmaker Daniel Kremer and director Sidney J. Furie. It opens by Kremer revealing this is his favourite of Furie films. The director talks about how they managed to film in Marseille, LA, Washington DC, and Seattle for two million dollars. They talk about how the director had the idea for the film, and how he collaborated with Alan Trustman on the script. We find out that The French Connection was a huge influence- though he wanted to do something different. He talks about how Billy Dee Willams was a wonderful actor- been a great collaborator, and happy with all the different locations. We find out that the director's son Noah was on set, and in the downtime played Richard Pryor at chess. They briefly touch on the French casting, and that there are no sets in the film. The director points out some of his favourite shots. Later on, they talk about the use of rapid-cutting shots in certain scenes. Talking about the pros & cons of the different locations.  Again it’s a worthy track- with some rewarding facts/ observations- though I’m afraid it didn’t really improve the film for me.

Otherwise, we have the Hit Up The Black Gable! (6.59) audio-only interview with Billy Dee Willams. That Old Oklahoma Know-How Part 2 (11.12) interview with producer Gray Frederickson. The Work (24.11) actor Paul Hampton on Sidney J. Furie.  Flesh & Furie: The Space Between Us(47.11) video essay by film historian/filmmaker Howard S. Berger and David Nicholson-Fajardo. Radio Ad, and trailer.

 

The fourth film in the set is 1975’s Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York. And this is New York set drama- with light touches of comedy. It regards a small-town Jewish twenty-something moving to NYC,to find a job, but ultimately love.

The film's lead character is Sheila- played by Jeannie Berlin- who a few years early had been praised for her work in another romantic comedy The Heartbreak Kid (1972)- going onto more recently for roles in the likes of Inherent Vice (2014), and The Fabelmans (2022).  When we first meet her she’s moving to New York City for the first time- with a caring/ overbearing mother Bernice(Janet Brandt) hanging off her arm- trying to convince her to come to her Pennsylvania small town.

Sheila is determined to give it a go in the big city- pushing her mother into her apartment's lift- and telling her to go home. She is sharing the apartment with scatterbrained, messy but very confident actress Kat (Rebecca Dianna Smith). She convinces the practical, slightly quirky if decidedly shy Sheila to meet her at a local disco.  She gets to the club, and Kat is already up ‘n’ dancing with a man- and Sheila's attempts at dancing come off awkward & embarrassing. So she slumps down in a chair- and just sitting next to her is middle-aged doctor Sam Stoneman(Roy Scheider)- he starts chatting her up, and one thing leads to another they find them back at his apartment.

Initially, the rather naive Sheila is none too pleased that she’s been tricked back to the doctor’s apartment. But in time he convinces her to come to bed with him- in the middle of the night she declares her love for him- he brushes her aside- saying it was just a one-night stand for him.

She manages to get herself a job in the city- working as a typist/ singer in a children’s record company- but still feels deeply lonely. Then one night Kat is getting ready for another date- but she’s double booked- so she tells Sheila to get rid of the date knocking at the door- and it’s Sam.  As time goes on Sam & Kat become a real couple- and Sheila realises she has well & truly fallen for Sam.

The film comes in at around just under the two-hour mark- which normally would be a tad too long for this type of drama/ lightly touched romantic comedy. But it largely remains entertaining- with all involved doing a good job in their roles- with Berlin initially being wonderful awkward & a little bumbling. And Scheider initially is a rather smug & uncaring bachelor. The film has a rather stagy feel to it, as it’s largely set in apartments & officers. And it’s based on a 1971 book of the same name by Gail Parent- who later went to write & produce both The Golden Girls, and Tracey Ullman's sketch comedy series Tracey Takes On…

On the extras side, we get two commentary tracks- one with film historian/filmmaker Daniel Kremer and director Sidney J. Furie, and one with film historian Samm Deighan. I played the second of these, and as always with Ms Deighan- it's a wonderfully well-researched & observed affair. She begins by comparing the film's pink fount opening credits to those of Rosemary Baby- both films regard a female lead character & our set in NYC- but each uses these credits in different ways. She talks about how the film sits between New 70’s Hollywood & old Hollywood. She discusses how the book & the film differ- with the novel having more of a dark humour tilt, and focusing on more characters/ encounters.  She talks about how it ties into the traditional romantic comedy tropes. She chats about the career of Gail Parent, which included Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman- the mid-70s US sitcom she wrote which had similar themes to the film to hand. She discusses how Roy Scheider is an interesting male lead- talking about his career during this period when he turned up in a few New Hollywood films, and his portrayal of masculinity.  Later on, she discusses the character dynamic between the two flatmates, and briefly touches on the career of Smith in particular a horror film she did in the 70’s Nigthmare Honeymoon. She talks about the career of journeyman director Furie, and much more- very much worth a play track.

Otherwise, we get the following extras- The Film That Died and Lived (14.02) audio interview with cinematographer Donald M. Morgan. Why Can’t I Be Doris Day? Sheila Levine from Page to Screen(19.54) video essay by film historian Bill Ackerman. Sidney J. Furie is Alive and Dreaming of New York (15.02). A Little Uncomfortable: Furie’s 1970s Politics (13.25) video essay by critic/filmmaker David Cairns.

 

 

Finally, we have The Boys In Company C- which appeared in the year 1978. This is a military drama/ war picture- focusing on five very different young men from across the US been trained up as marines, to be sent out to Vietnam in the war in the late 1960s.  The film was co-written for the screen by Furie and Rick Natkin (Night Of The Juggler, Necessary Roughness)- though we find out just before the closing credits that it was based on a true story, and the real C company during the late 1960s.

The two-hour and five-minute film opens with the five key characters arriving for recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. These take in tough ‘n’ sided burned African American drug dealer from Chicago Tyrone Washington (Stan Shaw), there’s in cuffs, bearded, and long-haired Dave Bisbee (Craig Wasson). We have streetwise ladies' man Vinnie Fazio(Michael Lembeck) from Brooklyn, New York. There’s Alvin Foster( James Canning) from Emporia, Kansas – a mild-mannered aspiring writer, who begins writing a journal detailing his experiences, and voices over the films at points. And lastly, there is the naive and unassuming Billy Ray Pike(Andrew Stevens) from Galveston, Texas.

The first half an hour or so of the film sees our five training with the troop being lead-up by Sgt. Loyce- who is played by R. Lee Ermey( Full Metal Jacket, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Mississippi Burning). This section of the film helps to fill out the five characters' personalities well. As well, of course of unfolding fairly typical & pulling through mediocrity/ brutality training.

From here on the five & their troop get put on a ship to make their way to Vietnam. Their first mission is the guard ‘vital supplies’ for a military base- though after the troop gets involved in a firefight- it’s found the supplies are luxurious goods & a Cavan for the base's top-ranking offices.  And from here the newly trained marines find out that all is not what they are told/ see in Vietnam. Along the way with some nicely tense interaction between the five, and the offices in charge.

All five lead characters are well realized with an even balance of screen time for each. The film unfolds in a good & pacy manner- though at points we do dart past certain plot points, though these do largely resolve in the end. All in all The Boys In Company C is one of the better Vietnam-based war films/ drama, and a nice final film in this box set.

 

Put simply, Directed By… Sidney J. Furie (1970 – 1978), is a perfect/ prime example of how a great, in-depth, and wholly rewarding film box set should be done. To buy direct from Imprint head by here- but don’t hang around long, as it’s ltd to 1500 copies- which I’m sure will not hang around long!